1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to hosiery equipment, more particularly to a reed tooth of a hosiery stitching machine.
2. Description of the Related Art
A hosiery item, for example, a stocking, after being manufactured in a knitting machine, generally has a tubular shape with two opposite ends that are open. The stocking has to be sent to another machine for closing one of the ends thereof, that is, the toe end.
In Taiwanese Patent Publication No. 201144506, it is disclosed that a hosiery body, for example, a stocking body, made by a knitting machine can be transferred to a hosiery stitching machine using a transfer device of this application. The hosiery stitching machine includes two semi-circular reeds, a plurality of male reed teeth arranged spaced apart from each other around a semi-circumference of one of the reeds, a plurality of female reed teeth arranged spaced apart from each other around a semi-circumference of the other reed, and a sewing needle. The reeds are pivotable relative to each other between a stacked position, where the reeds are superimposed one above the other, and a juxtaposed position, where the reeds are disposed side by side in a same plane. When the reeds are in the juxtaposed position, a plurality of transfer and strip members of the transfer device can transfer loops at the toe end of the stocking body from the knitting machine to the reeds, after which the reeds are pivoted to the stacked position. The sewing needle is then used to stitch the loops together to thereby close the toe of the stocking.
It is also disclosed in the aforesaid publication that each of the male reed teeth has an extension portion that extends downwardly and that terminates with a pointed end, and a guide hole formed in one side of the extension portion that faces outward. The pointed ends of the male reed teeth mate with notched ends of the female reed teeth when the reeds are in the stacked position.
To transfer the loops at the toe end of the stocking body from the knitting machine to the reeds, the transfer and strip members are first moved upward toward the reeds, so that the male and female reed teeth can be inserted into passages of the transfer members to thereby transfer the loops to the male and female reed teeth. When the male and female reed teeth are mated, the strip members are operated to push the loops which are sleeved on the female reed teeth toward the loops which are sleeved on the male reed teeth, after which the sewing needle is used to stitch together the loops, thereby achieving the purpose of closing the toe end of the hosiery body. The sewing needle is guided by the guide hole during the stitching operation.
Although the transfer and stitching operations of the loops can be achieved through coordination of the male and female reed teeth, the transfer and strip members, and the sewing needle, because the male reed teeth must be provided with guide holes, the cross sectional area thereof is large. When each loop is sleeved on one of the male reed tooth, it is likely that a frictional contact exists between the two, so that the loop is likely to get damaged, thereby adversely affecting the smooth execution of the transfer and stitching operations.